[Corneoscleral transplant excision in the cadaver. Experiences of the North Rhine Westphalia Lions Cornea Bank 1995 and 1996].
BACKGROUND
Donor corneas are normally obtained by whole globe enucleation-a procedure often refused by the bereaved. To increase the acceptance of cornea donation, we have exclusively obtained donor corneas by in situ excision since the end of 1994. There have been reports of increased endothelial damage and higher contamination rates. We report our experience in 1995 and 1996.


METHODS
The in situ excision was performed by staff trained in microsurgical techniques. Only donor corneas with negative end-storage cultures after at least 10 days and an endothelial cell count of more than 2500 cells/mm2 were used for transplantation.


RESULTS
In all, 705 corneoscleral buttons were excised from 1/95 to 12/96. The bereaved consented in 34% in 1996. A total of 30.5% of the corneas were ineligible for transplantation which corresponds to the discard figures from all cornea banks with culture methods. We did not observe any primary transplant failure nor endophthalmitis after 444 perforating keratoplasties.


CONCLUSIONS
In situ corneal excision is safe, and helps to reduce the shortage in donor corneas.
Hudde
T
T
Augenklinik der Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf.
Reinhard
T
T
Möller
M
M
Schelle
C
C
Spelsberg
H
H
Cepin
A
A
Sundmacher
R
R
D002102:Cadaver; D016039:Corneal Transplantation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005125:Eye Banks; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation; D009926:Organ Preservation; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014022:Tissue Survival / Q000502:physiology; D009927:Tissue and Organ Procurement
Korneosklerale Transplantatentnahme an der Leiche. Erfahrungen der Lions-Hornhautbank Nordrhein-Westfalen in den Jahren 1995 und 1996.